1. Figurative Language
5th Grade Unit
Ali Mandile
Spring 2013

2. Rationale for Technology Integration
• Language arts is just reading and
writing, right? Wrong. Technology is vital in
deepening students’ interest and
understanding of figurative language. We
can use technology to strengthen our
speaking and listening skills, to research
and communicate with experts on the
subject, and to participate in interactive
learning experiences through the media.
• This presentation will show you how
teachers can integrate
blogs, podcasts, videos, music
clips, apps, SMART Board activities, and
interactive websites into in their
classrooms to collaborate with students
and develop twenty-first century learning
skills.

3. Internet Content
• All websites used in this presentation have
proven to be reliable sources of information
related to teaching and learning figurative
language.
• Clicking on graphics will direct you to the
original site and links are cited in the notes
section.

4. Blog
Beth Cregan is a teacher and founded the company, Write Away with
Me. Her blog and website emphasize her company’s goal of
encouraging writing, storytelling, and literacy. She presents workshops
for parents, teachers, and students on how to develop these skills!

5. Pinterest:
Figurative Language Boards

6. Podcast
• This podcast by The Uncommon School focuses on
literal and figurative language and its importance
especially in literature.
• Teachers can play pieces of this podcast in class and
give the link to students and families to listen to at
home!
• Students can listen to this podcast on headphones or
on their own time to reiterate the basics of literal and
figurative language.
Click the microphone to
listen to the Podcast!

7. Instructional Videos
• Watch the Figurative Language Rap here!

8. Instructional Videos
Click the graphic to link to the video!

9. Internet Resources
• Modern Language Association
The MLA is the principal professional association in the US
for scholars of language and literature. The association
publishes the MLA Handbook and MLA Style Manual and is a
wonderful resource for English/Language Arts students.
• International Reading Association
The IRA was founded in 1956 to improve reading
instruction. The association is a reliable resource for
educators as they publish newletters, e-books, and journals to
facilitate the dialogue of reading.
• Figurative Language
FigurativeLanguage.net provides teachers and students
with lengthier definitions of
alliteration, hyperbole, imagery, irony, metaphor, onomatopoe
ia, oxymoron, personification, and simile.

10. Kidspiration

11. Teaching Materials
• This worksheet helps
student grasp the
concept of alliteration
and brainstorm their
own! They write a letter
in the circle, and then
brainstorm words that
begin with that letter in
the surrounding boxes.
• Click on the worksheet
to link to the site!

12. There’s an app for that!
• Click the
picture to
download the
app!
• Student plays
against himself
or another
student
• Aligned to CCSS
Click here for the Teacher’s Guide!
The app was designed by Danielle Kavanagh, who graduated from Arizona State
University with a Bachelors in Elementary Education. She is piloting an
iClassroom, where each student has an iPad—blending technology with daily
learning activities.

13. There’s another app for that!
• Click on the
picture to link
to the App
store to
purchase this
app!
• Kidioms is an
interactive
introduction
to idioms for
Click here to learn more about this app!
students

14. SMART Board Activity
Click on the game board to link to the SMART Exchange website!
Teachers can use this game to teach their students about
onomatopoeia. The interactive design allows students to
see, hear, and participate in the lesson. The game encourages
competition, but also choice, and incorporates songs and poems!

15. Figurative Language Awards!
• This lesson is described in detail at the
readwritethink site by clicking on the
bookmark to the left.
• Students are divided into groups of
three and will choose to read books
from the suggested book list.
• In groups, students will fill in the
bookmark with their “nominations”
for the following awards:
• Best Simile
• Best Metaphor
• Best Personification
• Students vote and groups prepare an
acceptance speech for their Figurative
Language Award!

16. Subject-specific Internet-based Resources
• Reading and Language Arts Ideas for Elementary
Teachers is a resource for teachers with links to
games, activities, worksheets, and lessons.
• For this unit, the site links to Fun Brain and we can use
the Paint by Idioms game for our figurative language
unit! Students can select a topic and level of difficulty
to perfect their skills working with idioms.

17. Uses of the Internet:
Online Books Sites
Bartleby.com can be
used by teachers and
students to access
poems for use in the
classroom. Students can
research poets and study
their use of figurative
language to be
presented in a research
project.
Click the screenshot to
link to the site!

18. Uses of the Internet:
Online Books Sites
• The Online Books Page is a
search engine for e-books!
• Students and teachers can
use the database to search
for books to use in lessons.
• For this unit, students can
search books from the
suggested book list in the
Figurative Language Awards
activity, such as Peter Rabbit!

19. Uses of the Internet:
Interactive Websites
Primary Games offers
educational games and
activities for children and
also has links to other
interactive websites such
as this Children’s
Storybooks Online where
students can read and
listen to e-books for
examples of figurative
language.

20. Web 2.0
• Poetic Terms Jeopardy
Game
– Students can play against
themselves or a partner
– Serves as formative
assessment for figurative
language and poetic devices

21. Web 2.0
• This website can be used
as a collaboration for
teachers to create and
store documents for
their classrooms.
• Quizinator can be used
to create worksheets
that students can easily
access and download!

22. Web 2.0
• Teachers and students can
use this site to collaborate
both inside and outside the
classroom.
• Like twitter for education!
• Students can
#figurativelanguage to
share ideas!

23. Slideshare
• This presentation can also be viewed on
Slideshare!